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EMILY
OLAOYE
- Lawyer
per excellence. She is truly her father’s daughter.

KENNETH
RUEBEN OKORIE -
CEO/President
of his own company and conglomerate and Emily’s love interest.

MAUREEN
OKWARA
- also
known as Maggie by her cronies. She is an international model. BFF of
Alero (the kind that will give you the shirt off her back, her family
are long standing friends with the Adeniran family. She is very
vocal.

OLIVER
(OLLY) OKWARA – He
is Maggie’s older brother and Banjo’s very good friend. He has
had a crush for Alero for years even though he never did make his
feelings known to her.

QUINN
ROBINSON-
He
is Maggie’s fiancée and later, husband. .He caused quite a rave
among her family and friends.

PATRICIA
ADENIRAN
- Banjo’s
younger sister. She is soft-spoken and unassuming. She idolizes her
elder brother but is intent on making her own way even though she had
a very sheltered upbringing.

CHIEF
MRS ADENIRAN (BANJO’S MUM)
- is
a widow and is reputedly a bit snobbish. She has had to bear down
under the weight of circumstances. She is the Boss-lady in charge of
the family’s chains of businesses. Her husband had been openly and
spectacularly unfaithful to her during his lifetime. Life hasn’t
always treated her kindly.

MAZI
OKORIE
- Kenneth’s
dad. Extremely proud of his son, widower, single parent, never
remarried. He paid the bills for his son’s success as a company
man. He is a contented man. Enjoys the perks his son’s wealth
affords him.

DR.
AND MRS. BEKERE
- Alero’s
mum and dad. They have been married happily for just over 30yrs. They
are proud of their daughter but also wary of the pitfalls of
modernity on her behalf

BOLANRE
OLAOYE
- Emily’s
dad, solicitor per excellence, founder of chambers. He has never been
married legally and enjoys his bachelorhood to the hilt.

CHAPTER 1

“He
graduated magna
cum laude from
the American university he attended.”

“He.
Is. So. Cute!!”

“Oh
my goodness! They’re like…super wealthy.”

“My
elder sister used to date one of their cousins.”

Alero
placed a hand to her forehead. It was official. It she heard one more
thing about the Adenirans and their golden son, she was just…

“Alero!
I’ve been looking all over for you.” Maggie, Alero’s best
friend for years and years scolded as she sashayed towards her.

“Was
right here.” Alero smiled. “It was getting somewhat stuffy so I
came out for some fresh air.”

Maggie
cut her a skeptical look that communicated her patent disbelief.

“You
were a bit overwhelmed.” She chided. Alero began to deny it but
Maggie cut into her. “They are a bit much. You get used to them
though.” She continued. “Give it time.” She admonished.

Alero
shrugged her shoulders. It did not matter to her one way or another.
She was probably not going to ever be friendly
with the Adenirans. The only reason she was at this party was because
she had been at Maggie’s place for the week and it would have been
awkward to leave her at home while the rest of the family went out
for the evening and so she had tagged along.

“Come
on. I want you to meet Banjo and his sister. They’re pretty nice
people so no worries.” Maggie said as she pulled Alero along, half
dragging her actually.

Sensing
that there was no escape, Alero relented and followed docilely
feeling like she was being led to slaughter.

“Hey!
You guys! Don’t you dare start without me!” Maggie yelled as they
reached the group hanging around Banjo. It was a pretty exclusive
circle of super rich kids. Alero had indeed met some of them before
while hanging out with Maggie.

She
had never really gotten comfortable with this clique. She had met
Maggie on the playground of the nursery school they had both attended
and it had been love at first sight for both of them. They had been
best friends ever since. Over the years, Mr. Okwara, Maggie’s dad,
had made a killing
in the financial market. Money had become available to them in
abundance and the Okwaras had moved up in life. They had relocated
from the Average middle class neighbourhood where Alero and Maggie
had grown and moved to the highbrow enclave reserved almost
exclusively for the supper rich with the occasional high ranking
government official thrown in. It was a testament to the love between
both girls that their friendship had withstood the rigours of
cross-city visits and the really wide change in their social status.

“Where
did you get off to Maureen?” someone asked.

“Had
to go get Alero.” Maggie responded.

“Hey
Alero!” Mide, one of the guys sitting in a loose circle around the
star of the moment hailed. She had met him a few times at Maggie’s
as he was good friends with her brother.

“Hello
Mide.” She responded, a shy smile touching her lips.

“It’s
been awhile since we saw your pretty face around these parts.” He
commented. “Asked Maggie after you and she was babbling something.”

That
earned him a hard rap on the arm from Maggie. “I do not babble. And
stop making those gooey eyes at my friend! Alero ignore him. He’s
an inveterate flirt!”

Alero
wished the ground would open and swallow her up right that moment as
it seemed to her that all eyes turned to the ‘intruder’. The
girls seemed to eye her up as if she were a potentially dangerous
rival that had snuck up on them unsuspected while the guys seemed to
look at her again just to be sure they hadn’t missed something.

Had
Alero been told that a body could react sexually to a voice, she
would have insisted that it was not possible. Her pebbled nipples
would have mocked that belief. She turned slowly, mortified at her
own body’s reaction to face the speaker. It was Banjo. She knew
that. She had just spent about half an hour outside with girls that
had giggled every time he walked by or looked in their direction.

“Ally,
the dude here is Banjo.” Mide indicated with his thumb. “Banjo,
Ally.”

Alero
had to smile at that. Only Maggie and their families called her
‘Ally’. To everyone else, she was Alero. What did Mide mean by
calling her Ally just now? She peeked a glance at him and he winked
at her in response. She quickly averted her eyes back to Banjo,
Adebanjo Adeniran of the great Adeniran dynasty. She had to disagree
with those girls, he was not cute. Cute, was something two year old
boys were and this specimen, was definitely older, much older than
two years old. She began to smile a greeting at him when the look in
his eyes stopped her cold. Gone was the drawling, charming young man
and in its place was…disdain. Alero resisted the urge to look down
at herself to see if her embarrassing reaction to him was on display.

“Hello.”
She said coolly.

To
which he responded with a nod and continued his conversation with his
friends. Clearly, she had been dismissed. Alero looked around till
she spotted Maggie holding court at a corner of the living room. The
parents were at the swimming pool area at the back of the house
carrying on with their own party leaving the young adults all to
themselves indoors. Alero slowly made her way to where Maggie chatted
vivaciously with her friends. For the first time in all their years
of friendship, Alero felt resentment for her friend. The burn of the
snub she had just been given seemed too much for her to bear. It
hadn’t been the first time. There had always been subtle shade
thrown at her over the years as she had become Maggie’s ‘tag-along’
friend but she had never let it get in the way of her friendship with
Maggie. But suddenly it mattered! Oh, how it mattered and she had had
enough of it.

She
tapped Maggie on the shoulder to get her attention.

“Hey
Ally. I thought the guys intended to keep you for a bit there. They
all….”

“Would
it be alright if I went on home…to your house?” Alero
interrupted. Maggie’s smile immediately extinguished.

“I
just…I’m feeling a bit dizzy. Perhaps I just need to lie down for
awhile.” Alero finagled.

“Did
you eat something…? Did something happen over there?” she
indicated the group Alero had just left with a jut of her chin. Alero
felt her head turn involuntarily and her gaze clashed with Olly,
Maggie’s elder brother. The slight frown of concern on his face was
the final straw for Ally.

“I
can go on by myself. You don’t need to leave on my account. And it
isn’t that far. I know my way home…to your house.”

“Ally?”
Maggie asked her frown of consternation deepening.

Alero
just waved away her concern and left. As she stepped outside, it felt
like the slight breeze washed away the bitterness and pain of the
burn she had just been dealt. She may not have realized it then, but
in that moment, a few things shifted in her mind that would
significantly shape her perspective of life.

CHAPTER 2

Alero’s
laughter into the phone was pure joy. The thrills of shared mirth and
happiness echoed back from the other end.

“Oh
Maggie! I’m so excited for you!” she exclaimed. “Do you need me
to pick you guys up?”

“And
my mother will let you, how?” Maggie laughed. “Just meet us back
at the house. Quinn will be glad to see you again. He couldn’t stop
raving about you to his boys here. Actually, a few of them are quite
looking forward to meeting you. You know I rub off on you in a good
way.”

Alero
felt the now familiar twinge that such comments elicited. She knew
Maggie meant no disrespect but she couldn’t help but feel slighted.

“Okay,
okay. We’ll see at house. Girl, it will be soooo
exciting! I really have missed you guys.” She thrilled.

“And
whose fault is that? Cancelling on me at the last minute like that. I
should be really mad at you, you know.” Maggie scolded and then
chuckled girlishly. “You know I can’t stay mad at you for long.
Between you and Quinn, I’m just a sap!”

Alero
looked up at the clock hanging on her wall. “Maggie I’ve got to
go. I have a meeting in a few and if I hope to be any kind of
prepared, I need to hang up now!”

“You
work too hard!” Maggie whined.

“Says
the pot calling the kettle black!” Alero responded sharply with a
smile in her voice. “Love you girl! Keep me posted!” she said and
made kissy noises into the phone before clicking the disconnect
button. She shook her head wryly. Maggie could go on for days. That
girl never seemed to run out of conversation fodder.

The
intercom phone on her desk rang out and she picked it up even as she
went through the papers on her desk. Her secretary’s voice came
through. “Your 10 ‘o’ clock is here madam.”

“Oh.
Ah…give me a few minutes and then send her in.” Alero instructed.

“Yes
madam.” The phone clicked off.

Alero
sorted through the papers she needed for the interview she was about
to conduct and collected herself mentally. It was a huge compliment
from her director that she was left alone to conduct this interview
for a prospective hire. When she had joined the firm of architects
and civil engineers, she had been not only the youngest but also the
only female architect on the team. There had been a couple more
female hires since then but they had not stayed on longer than a
couple of years. It would be Alero’s sixth year with the firm in a
few months and she was scrabbling to make junior partner. She hoped
that by her tenth year, she would be a senior partner in the firm.

So
many people exclaimed at how ‘lucky’ she was to be a part of
Skyline Architectural. She scoffed softly. Lucky indeed! She had
busted herself up to get to where she was today. She had no friends
other than her family and Maggie and lately, Quinn. Every other
moment was consumed with Skyline and her big dreams for it and for
herself. If she had anything to say about it, and she had a lot, this
generation would know Alero Bekere’s name before she was through.

There
was a soft rap on her door followed by the sound of the door opening.
A young lovely looking lady walked in closing the door smartly behind
her. Alero put on a smile as she stood to welcome her.

“Good
morning Ma’am.” The young lady greeted with a decidedly American
accent.

“Good
morning,” Alero peeked at the papers on her desk, “Patricia.
Sorry for keeping you waiting a bit.” She indicated the seat in
front of her desk as she took her own seat.

“It
was no problem.” The young lady demurred.

“Thank
you.” Alero said as she turned to pick up the file on her desk. “I
have been looking at your submissions and I have to say, I am
impressed.” She smiled. “Tell me a bit more about yourself.”

And
so the interview began and lasting for the better part of an hour.
Alero had been so rarely impressed by colleagues and the young girl
seating across from her had blown her away over the course of the
past one hour.

“If
you ask me,” she concluded, “I’ll say you’re ideally suited
for this firm but, the final decision is for Mr. Wanigo.”

Patricia
nodded her understanding.

“I’d
like to say, welcome to Skyline though. I have a feeling that this
interview was just a formality. He seemed very impressed by you when
we spoke earlier.”

“I’d
be really excited to work here.” Patricia gushed before she could
get a hold of herself.

Alero
stood to shake her hand and formally end the interview. As she walked
around her desk to show her to the door, Patricia turned to her.

“I
don’t mean to be forward but I wonder if you know Maureen. Maureen
Okwara.” She asked a surprised Alero.

“Yes,
yes I do.” Alero answered wonderingly. “Do you know her?”

“Our
families have been friends for years.”

“Oh
really? It’s a small world.” Alero said.

“That
it is.” Patricia responded. She made to turn and stopped at the
last minute. “Will you be at her place then? She’s coming into
the country with her fiancé this weekend.”

“Definitely.
She’d probably be upset if I didn’t show. But how did you know I
knew her?” Alero asked.

“You
used to come to her house when we were much younger.” Patricia
answered.

“Oh
my goodness!” Alero exclaimed. “I am so not good with faces! Oh
dear! Don’t tell me I met you there and then I just went and forgot
your face!”

Patricia
chuckled. “We never exactly met per say. I just used to come visit
Jacinth.” Calling the name of one of Maggie’s younger siblings.

“Oh
dear, oh dear! I’m so sorry.” Alero apologized.

“Ah!
I wasn’t exactly…you know, we were younger, Jacinth and I.”

“I’m
so not good with faces.” Alero reiterated ruefully. “So till the
weekend then or maybe even before.”

“Thank
you. Enjoy the rest of your day.” She greeted and walked out of the
office.

Alero
settled back down to work on her desk only to find that she couldn’t
see properly as the light coming into the office seemed to have
dimmed. She looked to the window and realized that the weather had
changed to cloudy during the course of the interview. In fact, a good
thunderstorm was imminent.

She
stood and walked to window to adjust the slats that directed sunlight
into the room. She wondered briefly how Patricia was going to fare if
the rains started before she could exit the building. As she made to
turn away from the window, she noticed her figure walking briskly
towards a car that was parked in the visitor’s car park. A male
figure got out of the car and enveloped her in a hug. They spoke
briefly and Patricia indicated the building as she spoke to him. He
looked up and Alero was glad for the slats that would shield her from
his view. Adebanjo Adeniran!

She
gasped in surprise as she watched him get back into the car and call
out something to Patricia. The memory of the burn from that long ago
day some ten years before skittered through her mind. Suddenly it
clicked into place. Of course! Patricia Adeniran. She was his kid
sister.

Alero
did not know how she felt about that.

CHAPTER 3

Emily
patted at the sweat trickling down her face. She had been trying to
reach Banjo all day to no avail. It was either a busy signal or no
response at all. She listened as the phone rang out for the umpteenth
time that day.

She
began to gather her things together from her desk. It was almost time
to call it a day anyway. She would go by his house. If she saw him
face to face, he would be unable to avoid her.

She
had just made it to the door when it swung inwards to reveal her
father with a thundercloud expression on his face.

“Good
evening dad.” She greeted. “You don’t look at all happy.”

Her
dad huffed and stormed past her into her office. She had no option
than to shut the door and go back to her desk.

“Where
you on your way somewhere?” he asked.

“Yes
I was…going to go by Banjo’s place.”

“Oh.
I had no idea you had a date today.” Her dad commented.

“No
I don’t.” Emily replied “And you don’t always know when I
have plans for the evening dad!”

“Says
who?” her dad chided. “Believe what you may Emily but that’s
not why I came to your office.” He slammed a bunch of files he had
been holding in his hand on top of her desk. “Nobleson.” He
announced with all the angst he could summon.

“Nobleson?”
Emily asked as she came forward to pick the files from her desk.
“What’s the problem with them?”

“None
at all.” Her father said wryly. “They want these papers sent over
to their office pronto.” He said.

“Why
is that a problem? A dispatch rider can go deliver it.” Emily said
as she browsed through the documents.

“Ordinarily,
yes, however, this young man, the CEO, didn’t get to look over the
contract before and so, he wants to review it now, when he has barely
forty eight hours to do so.”

“This
is for the petroleum deal they are entering into with the Asian
company right?” Emily asked as she snapped the file she held in her
hand shut.

“Yes
it is.”

She
looked up at her dad, a sly smile playing on her lips. “Aannnndd…?”

“Don’t
sass me young lady! That young man gets on my nerves. I don’t know
what he thinks he is, something precious apparently but I have had as
much of him as I can handle for the week.” He complained.

“Daddy,
you want me to go meet with him instead because you have a date.”
Emily chided.

“Young
lady, is this how you talk to your dad?!” her father’s eyebrows
shot up to his hairline as he tried on a stern expression for size.

“Dad,
I’ll go have this meeting for you but I really would need to go by
Banjo’s today.”

“Has
he been avoiding you again?” her father asked sympathetically.

Emily
sighed. “I don’t know what to think.” She raised her hands up
in bewilderment. “We…everything seemed fine! All of a sudden…I
just don’t know!” she turned to look at her dad “Perhaps he’s
just extra busy.” She said quietly, her voice clearly unconvinced.

Her
dad shrugged and opened his arms to her for a hug and she walked into
them for the comfort she knew will be waiting for her there.

“Never
chase after a man Emily. We don’t respond well to being idolized.”
He said even as he ruffled her hair.

“Aww
daddy!” Emily shrieked. “Now I have to take the time to
straighten it out.” She checked her watch as she hurriedly fumbled
in her bag for a comb. “And it’s almost close of business!” she
whined.

“Pfft!”
her father dismissed. “Young man is a workaholic. He’ll probably
be waiting still if you even took an hour.”

Emily
checked that she had straightened her hair properly before replying.
“We are professionals! We do….”

“Spare
me the lecture.” Her dad said as he walked towards the door. “I
trust that you’ll handle it excellently.” He paused at the door
and looked back at her. “If I did not believe that, you can be sure
that you wouldn’t be representing us at Nobleson.” He smiled as
he stepped out of her office shutting the door behind him.

When
she recovered from the surprise of that compliment, Emily danced a
small jig to the thrill of satisfaction racing through her. ‘Legal
Luminary, here I come!’ she thought as she walked briskly out of
her office, battle ready.

CHAPTER 4

Emily
shut off her cell phone. Again, Banjo had not picked up the call. She
sighed as she checked her reflection in the rear view mirror one more
time before exiting the car.

She
looked up at the imposing building in front of her and took a bracing
breath.

As
she walked into the reception lobby and approached the receptionist,
she could not help but admire the ambience of the entrance lobby
around her. This was what she hoped that Olaoye and Co. would be able
to afford in the not too distant future.

“Good
afternoon. How may I assist you?” the smartly dressed receptionist
asked her.

“I…good
afternoon. I would like to speak with the president?” Emily
requested.

“Do
you have an appointment?”

“I
imagine so. Olaoye and Co. Legal practitioners.” Emily responded.

The
receptionist consulted the computer in front of her and turned to
Emily with a smile.

“You
do. In five minutes. Please use the elevator to the fifth floor.
There will be someone to direct you once you get off.” She
directed.

“Thank
you.” Emily said as she made her way toward the bank of elevators
tucked away at the end of the lobby. The receptionist barely
acknowledged her greeting as she was back on the phone apparently
directing someone else.

On
exiting the elevator at the fifth floor, she was met by a dapperly
dressed young man who asked her to follow him. They went down the
corridor making a couple of turns before entering yet another
elevator. Emily felt her eyebrows rising. She wondered at the reason
for all the security controls. ‘Hey! Who’s after his life?’ but
on second thought, she guessed one could not be too careful at his
level of success.

The
elevator noiselessly came to a stop and slid open to a wide space
even more breathtaking than the lobby she had so admired below.

“Good
afternoon Ms. Olaoye.” A genteel looking lady greeted in very
cultured tones. Before Emily could respond to the greeting, she
continued. “Your father had called ahead and Mr. Okorie is
expecting you. This way please.” She directed. Soon, Emily stood in
front of a wide double door, a little intimidated at this point.

“You
may go in now.” The lady said as she turned and went back to her
desk.

Emily
rapped her knuckles on the door and walked into yet another
beautifully appointed office. And oh my! The view out of the floor to
ceiling window! She had been to this place a few times but had never
realized that there was a large expanse of property at the back of
the building. Someone had paid good money to have it beautifully
landscaped.

She
turned now to look at the ‘person’ who controlled the big bucks
with her most professional smile plastered on her face. Her smile
almost stuttered. She had no idea what she had been expecting but it
was not him. He was…ordinary, almost plain to look at. He was not
ugly but neither was he what you could call handsome. But he held
himself with such dignity that for all his plain looks it somehow
projected that you were in the presence of ‘someone’.

“Good
evening Sir.” Emily greeted unable to help herself as she stared at
him with undisguised curiosity.

“Good
evening. You have the contract with you?” he asked. Apparently he
was economical to the point of gruffness with his words.

“Yes
I do.” Emily responded and moved forward to hand over the file she
had retrieved from her briefcase to him.

“Please
sit down.” He said. His voice was coarse and a bit gravelly. It was
a distinctive voice and such a contrast to his physical appearance
that Emily had to smile at it.

He
remained standing behind his desk as he thumbed through the papers in
the file. He then took out the first one and walked over to an
arrangement of settees that faced out towards those beautiful
windows.

“I’ll
just go through and we can finalize this.” He said and proceeded to
do just so.

Finding
that he did not immediately require her attention, Emily turned back
to admire her surroundings. The softness of the plush rugs that
seemed to invite her to lie down, the marble that peeked through the
scattering of those rugs, the huge ‘in-your-face’ desk which
surprisingly looked like it was really a workstation not just an ode
to ostentation, the artwork strategically displayed on the wall and
around the office, she was sure she recognized the works of an up and
coming local artist that was making a name for himself both locally
and internationally.

She
had not realized that time had indeed flown by until Mr. Okorie got
up and walked back towards her.

“I…this
should be fine. I made a few adjustments. Have it sent back to me for
signing tomorrow. Before twelve noon.” He instructed as he handed
over the file back to Emily. Emily glanced at her wristwatch and was
amazed to discover that she had spent almost two hours at his office.

She
got up, thanked him and made her way out of the office. She supposed
that she should be bristling. Her father had made it sound like she
was going to have to explain and argue some points with him but she
found that her enjoyment of the scenery doused any irritation that
she may have been wont to feel.

As
she made her way down the elevator, she briskly went over the
adjustments he had made. She had to admit that he was a keen
businessman. He definitely seemed to know what he wanted and how to
get it.

It
had begun to rain while she had been making her way down and it was
pouring cats and dogs. She would have to wait for the rain to subside
before she could reach her car at the back of the parking lot. As she
waited, it began to get dark and yet, the rain just kept pouring. She
was just about to go in and ask the receptionist for an umbrella when
the swing doors behind her opened and the lady herself stumbled out
clutching a cell phone to her ear.

“No
Sir. He hasn’t arrived.” She responded to someone on the other
end of the line. “I’m outside sir.” “No, I can’t see him.”
she sighed softly. “I’ll do that Sir.” She announced as she
turned to stalk back into the building.

Emily
toggled the wisdom of going after her in her mind and decided to wait
out the rain. She sighed and leaned against the columns at the side
of the canopied entrance.

“You
are still here.” The receptionist said as she came back out of the
building.

Emily
lifted her hand to indicate the rain by way of response.

The
young lady made some non-committal sounds that sounded like
commiseration or something just as polite.

Her
cell phone rang again and she picked it up.

“Yes
Sir.” She answered. “I’m standing outside.” “No Sir. Just
the lady that came to see you earlier this evening.” “From the
law firm, yes sir.” “Oh! Okay…” she turned to Emily, “Did
you come in a car?” she asked.

Emily
nodded her head in intrigued stupefaction.

“Yes,
she did Sir.” She listened for a moment and nodded. “Alright
Sir.” She clicked off the phone.

“Please,
if you don’t mind, can you wait for my boss to come down here?”

“Alright.”
Emily shrugged. What difference would it make? She obviously was not
going to make it to Banjo’s house this evening anyway.

In
no time at all, Mr. Okorie was standing beside her.

“I
was wondering if I could catch a ride with you?” he asked.

Emily
peered at him in the gathering dusk to determine how serious he was.
He was peering back at her!

“Ehm…Okay.”
She answered dubiously.

Kenneth
sighed. “My driver is stuck in traffic somewhere and I need to
leave now.” He turned towards her more fully. “I really…can you
help me?” he asked.

“Oh!
Okay.” Emily said. Luckily, he had an umbrella with him which he
opened and held over both their heads as they made their way to the
car. It was while he tried to fit himself into her car that Emily
came to a startling realization. He was a big man physically as well.
Somehow, that had escaped her notice at the office.

“Ah…you’ll
need to fasten your seat belt.” She admonished as she turned the
ignition on the car. Kenneth scrambled around his seat a short while
before he was able to snap the seat belt on. He peered through her
windscreen and then turned to peer at her. A small frown appeared on
Emily’s forehead.

“Is
there a problem Sir?” Emily asked.

“No.
Why?” he answered his eyes going owlishly wide.

“Ah…it’s
nothing. Where do you live?” she asked in turn.

“Shoreline.”
He responded looking back as she backed out of the parking space.

“I
really do know how to drive.” Emily remarked in a conversational
tone. He turned to her in surprise, a small smile flitting around his
lips.

“I
would have wondered.” He said softly, his voice more gravelly for
the softness.

“Wondered
what exactly?” Emily asked amazed at her own boldness.

“If
you were really Bolanre Olaoye’s daughter.” He replied.

It
was Emily’s turn to huff out a laugh. “Indeed I am.” She smiled
as she drove out into the street. She noticed him peering out the
windscreen again.

“Why
do you keep doing that?” she asked.

“What?”
he asked an eyebrow raised in an expression so boyishly cocky that it
almost made him handsome.

“Peering,
squinting at my windscreen.”

He
was quiet for a moment and Emily thought he was not going to respond.

“I
forgot my glasses at home today.” He said and Emily turned in
amazement to look at him. Fancy that! The Almighty Mr. Okorie was
shortsighted! For some reason, it was so incongruous to Emily that
she burst out laughing hysterically over it.

“And
it’s amusing because?’” he asked in a mildly offended tone.

“Of
all things, it was just the last thing I would have thought. Short
sighted?” she hiccupped.

He
did not bother responding to her, just turned back to look out the
windscreen a puzzled frown and a small smile playing across his face.

CHAPTER 5

Banjo
watched Emily's face for any clue of what she was thinking after he
had finished his rehearsed speech. He had finally done it. He had
been itching to do this for almost a year but had not known how to
broach the subject. He had been surprised that Emily had not seemed
to notice his gradual withdrawal from her over the past year but if
her earlier questions and comments were anything to go by, she had.
She just had not said anything about it.

"Emily,
please say something." he entreated.

"What
would you have me say?" she responded in a quiet voice, a
wounded voice. They lapsed into silence once again. The noise of the
party seemed jarring in Banjo's ear. He wished they were somewhere
more private than at a welcome party at the Okwaras' for Maggie and
her beau.

She
jerked up from her seat and began to walk away. Banjo let her go. He
did not know what to say to her and to be honest he was relieved that
she was not creating a scene. He had fully expected her to throw some
sort of tantrum. He leaned back on his chair and contemplated how
soon he could leave the party. He had said his hellos to the Okwaras
and especially Maggie and Quinn. He seemed like a nice enough man. He
was happy for Maggie. She looked as though she were floating on a
cloud.

"You
have the looks of a man in deep contemplation." Olly boomed as
he took the seat beside him. "Planning your escape already?"
he continued.

Banjo
held out his hand for a bro
handshake. "Not exactly." he smiled, "Just thinking
about the possibility."

Olly
snorted and took a swig from the bottle he was holding. "So what
do you think?" he nodded towards where Maggie and Quinn were
chatting with a group of their friends or rather, Maggie was holding
court and Quinn and all the others were just part of the retinue.
Banjo smiled wryly. While Maggie was as lovely inside as she was
outside, she was a bit much to take in one large dose. She'd go
straight to your head like extra mature brandy. He hoped Quinn would
be able to keep up. So far, he looked like he was hanging in there
nicely.

"He
seems like a cool dude. If a bit of a...it's not the right word but,
dandified?" he turned to Olly as he shrugged wryly. He figured
Olly would get what he was trying to say.

Banjo
pondered that comment for a moment and frowned mildly at his friend.
"Maggie has a type?" he asked.

Olly
gave him an 'are-you-kidding-me' look. "What do you think?
Doesn't everyone?"

Just
then, a pretty dark skinned lady joined the group gathered around
Maggie and Quinn. Maggie's squeal of delight could not be masked by
the thumping beat of the afro-centric music booming around them.

"Wondered
when she would show up." Olly commented dryly even as he tensed
in his seat beside Banjo. Banjo eyed him and took his tense posture
and the tone of his voice in as he said.

"She
looks pretty familiar. I can't seem to place her though. Who is she?"

"Ally.
Alero, Maggie's friend." Olly responded a strange emotion in his
tone as his eyes remained locked on the young lady even as she took a
seat that Maggie had squeezed out beside her.

Banjo
looked across at the young lady, her features falling in place with
the memory of the young girl in his mind. Why had he not realized
that she would grow up some, just like he had done?

He
whistled his appreciation. "She grew up nice." he said as
he looked at her sitting primly beside Maggie while the other went on
about something, her mouth, hands and shoulders all moving in cadence
with whatever she was saying. Alero was nodding and smiling and
laughing out occasionally as she let her friend go on and on. She
turned and smiled at Quinn including him in the conversation that
Maggie was having.

"They
are still friends then? I thought they had drifted apart when she
stopped coming around." Banjo commented as he took his eyes away
from her to look at his friend. He found that Olly had been watching
him speculatively. There was something else lurking at the back of
Olly's gaze but Banjo couldn't quite put a finger on it. He raised a
questioning eyebrow at him.

Olly
drew a deep breath and took another swig from his bottle. He shrugged
as he got up from his seat and stretched his taut muscles. Olly had
grown into a real bear of a man. He could be a teddy bear when he was
in a good mood or a grizzly when riled. He was good looking though,
and if the numbers that constantly flung themselves at him were any
indication, he had the right pull with the ladies.

"I'm
going over to say hello. You want to come along?"

Banjo
shuffled his options with lightening speed in his head. Did he want
to get sucked into Maggie's orbit or did he make good his escape now?
Just as he was about to decide to leave, Alero looked towards them,
apparently drawn by Olly when he had stood to stretch. Her eyes took
in the picture Olly made as he stretched in his snug t-shirt and well
fitted jeans. It was a fine picture. She looked at Banjo as he
shifted on his seat. Her eyes had widened slightly and then she gave
him a cursory once over and looked away disinterestedly, or not.
There had been a sheen of something decidedly interesting in her eyes
as she had flicked it away from him back to Olly. She smiled cheerily
at Olly as he finally abandoned his friend and made his way over to
her. It was her that Olly was making his way over to. Not the group,
but her.

Banjo
cocked his head interestedly and stood to follow his friend towards
the group. He suddenly needed to see how this played out.

At
another corner of the lounge area, another pair of eyes tracked them
with unwavering intensity as they made their way over to the group.

CHAPTER 6

Alero
listened with half an ear to what Maggie was telling her about hers
and Quinn's holiday at the Bahamas with his family. She had been
surprised to learn that she was as well acquainted with them as that.
Apparently, she had gone over with Quinn for an extended stay earlier
in the year when she had taken some time off her hectic schedule
rather than come home to Nigeria. Alero wondered how her parents had
felt about that but she made no comments. No need to rock the boat if
the waters were calm enough.

She
noticed when the fine specimen of male seated across from her stood
to stretch and she turned to admire his physique. She was pleasantly
surprised to see that it was Olly. As she watched him, she noticed
there was someone seated next to him. She extended her gaze lazily to
him as well. Olly had always had good looking friends. If Maggie had
expressed her love for beautiful things by taking the fashion and
modeling world by storm, Olly had done his own expression by way of
his collection of friends. Olly had the most astonishing collection
of eye candy as friends. Her breath hitched when she realized who she
was looking at. She would have imagined that after the years that had
passed since she had last seen him, she would have been...maybe
mildly surprised to see him but not this shocked. It was the pain of
the pent up breath she was holding that forced her to start breathing
again. She removed her gaze from his as calmly as she could focusing
on keeping her breathing even as she tried to focus her scrambled
senses on something else. Her eyes latched on to Olly as he made his
way towards her. She smiled widely at him in relief that was quickly
replaced by tension when she realized that Banjo had unfolded himself
from his seat and was coming after Olly.

"Hey
Ally! So this is you?!" Olly's loud voice exclaimed as he got to
them. Ally stood up as he reached her as was soon wrapped up in a
warm hug. She sank into that hug and was overwhelmed by the feeling
of nostalgia. In a lot of ways, Olly had been the older sibling she
had longed for when growing up. There had been times when life had
been pretty overwhelming to the shy, introspective girl she had been.
Those times when she had longed for a not-so-older someone to take
the pressure off of her and Olly had always stepped in where he
could.

"You
ran away from us because Maggie left." He reproved mildly as he
slowly disentangled them and held her away to eye her critically.

"Yes,
she's taking good care of herself." Maggie quipped from beside
Alero as she dragged her back down to sit with her, answering the
unspoken question his assessing look had seemed to be asking.

"I
wasn't talking to you." Olly reprimanded his sister as he went
to sit on the handle of a chair close to Alero. The female occupant
of the seat squealed in patently feigned affront which Olly turned to
assuage with a debonair charm.

Maggie's
gasp drew attention to her again as she jumped up and went to say
hello to some long missed friend who had just walked in leaving an
empty space beside her which Banjo promptly slid into.

Alero
stiffened as his sides bumped into her. She tried to look unaffected
as she turned to him. "Hello." she said abruptly and turned
away.

"Hello
yourself." He responded sounding mildly amused. Alero turned a
sharp gaze on him at his tone wondering if he was laughing at her.
His face seemed bland enough and so she relaxed into her seat and
proceeded to 'ignore' him.

"Didn't
think you still hung around these parts." he commented as he
leaned forward in order to make room for her on their shared seat and
turned back towards her.

"Oh."
she responded nonplussed for what to say when he continued to talk to
her. "I still do from time to time." she said with a small,
polite smile.

He
nodded as he hunched over as if intending to settle into a long
conversation with her.

"When
Maggie is home." he said just as Olly interrupted.

"So
Ally, what's happening with you these days? I hear you're the next
big thing at that firm of yours."

Alero
turned a relieved smile to him. "You heard from where exactly?
Have you been listening to gossip?" she chided jokingly.

Olly
scoffed at her. "Men do not gossip." he stated emphatically
at which it was Alero's turn to scoff. They kept up the banter
amongst themselves as other friends and acquaintances from their
growing years joined in. Maggie and Quinn also found their way back
to the group and everyone shuffled around to make room for them.
Banjo remained fairly quiet by her side, occasionally laughing out
loud at some of the funnier comments but not contributing much to the
conversation otherwise. She had begun to relax when he suddenly
tensed up beside her. She could feel his muscles go rigid against
her.

"Hey
Maggie, I'll be leaving now." a sweet, quiet voice spoke into
the bantering voices. Alero looked up even as Maggie jumped up to
acknowledge the young lady who had spoken. She was neat looking, was
the thought that sprung into Alero's mind. She could not remember her
from the early days, but then she had the sort of features that would
not jump at you in a crowd. As Maggie led her away chattering a mile
to a minute, she felt Banjo's muscles slowly lose their rigidity. She
turned to look at him curiously but he was surreptitiously watching
the pair of Maggie and the young lady as they walked towards the main
entrance. She shrugged inwardly as she wondered at Banjo's strange
reaction to the young lady who had looked non-threatening enough. She
looked around the group and noticed that Olly was staring
questioningly at Banjo who was trying hard not to look in his
direction.

Presently,
Maggie came back into the lounge and was hijacked by another group of
departing guests. Alero checked her wrist watch and realized that the
night was indeed far spent. She made to get up but was checked by
Olly's voice.

"Leaving
so soon Ally? I thought you were at least going to spend the night."

"Hah!
In whose room? Madam over there..." she began only to have Olly
stand and hurriedly put a finger to his mouth in a shushing motion.

"Don't
let my mother hear. As far as she is concerned, her daughter is
innocent." he reprimanded jokingly at which Alero laughed out
loud.

He
held out his hand to help her up from her seat. Alero took it and
allowed herself to be pulled up.

"I
don't have any change of clothes." she said.

"So?
You can steal some of Maggie's. She probably won't even realize they
belong to her." Olly said.

"Deceive
yourself! Maggie? Not recognize her own clothes? You're just a
joker." she teased as they walked hand in hand to find Maggie.

Banjo
watched the pair as they made their way towards where Maggie had just
exited. They were a fine looking pair. As he wondered if she would
make just such a fine pair with him, he spluttered.

Where
had that thought come from?

CHAPTER 7

"Coming!"
Alero yelled as she dashed for the door wondering who could be
leaning on the doorbell so early in the day. She swung the door open
ready to tackle the person on the other side verbally only to see
that it was Maggie, Maggie almost bursting at the seams with
excitement. She brushed past Alero buzzing the air beside her cheeks
as she stepped into the living room.

"Oh
wow! Like these new furnishings." she said as she went over to a
sofa and sat down.

"Good
morning Maggie. Yes, I slept well in case you were about to ask."
Alero chided as she shut the door and came over to join her friend in
the sitting area.

"Have
you really stayed so long in America or are you just being
deliberately obtuse?" Alero asked coming to a stop beside the
sofa Maggie had chosen.

Maggie
made a dismissive wave with her hand. "I have gist!" she
said excitedly motioning Alero to take the vacant seat on the sofa.
Alero sat down curious as to what had Maggie so excited, not that it
took a lot to set Maggie off.

"What's
the emergency?" Alero asked.

"Banjo
broke up with Emily." She announced with all the pizzazz of a
journalist giving a Nobel-prize winning performance.

Alero
squinted at her and cocked her head to the side. "And this is
world changing news because?" she asked in befuddlement.

"What
do you mean it isn't worl...okay, so not world changing but...IT'S A
BIG DEAL!!!" she said as she stood up in agitation, paced a few
steps and slumped back down on the seat. Alero shook her head in
consternation at her friend.

"Why?
People get together and break up all the time?" she said in
bewilderment.

"Yes,
people. But Emily and Banjo have been together for so long! I think
they started dating as far back as secondary school! Everyone thought
they would be thinking of heading to the altar any moment now and
instead Banjo is breaking things off with her?" Maggie sounded
as bewildered as Alero felt. She turned to look at Alero for
confirmation that perhaps all was not right with the world. Alero
stared back at her in confusion as to how she was supposed to react.

"Maggie,"
she began in a quiet, soothing tone. "It might have escaped your
notice that I don't really know these folks all that well. At least,
not as well as you do!" she defended at Maggie's raised eyebrow.
"It's sad, I'm sure, what has happened but is that why you drove
all the way from the Island?"

"Not
exactly." Maggie sighed. "It was Olly who mentioned it last
night and he said a few things that have me a bit bugged."

Alero
settled into her seat. "Bugged? How?" she hugged a throw
pillow to herself.

"Did
something...? Olly thinks...argghh!!" Maggie groaned.

Alero
burst out laughing at her friend's discomfiture. "Okay, out with
it already." she said gently pushing at Maggie's shoulder with
the throw pillow.

"Olly...you
do realize he has always had this crush on you?" Maggie blurted
out. Alero could feel her jaw drop in shock. "Really? You had no
idea? And you'd call me obtuse!" Maggie chided.

Alero
shook her head as if she hoped the action would unclog her brain
somehow.

"Well
Olly says that Banjo had just been coasting along in the relationship
for awhile. That he had not known how to break things off with her.
Okay so, he did at my welcome party. But now, Olly says he has been
asking questions about you. You didn't tell me that Patricia was
coming to work with you guys." she accused.

"It
didn't come up." Alero defended even as her brain seemed to
become even more clogged with confusion. "Why would he be asking
after me? Did his sister say something to him?"

"I
don't know. I thought you would have some answers." Maggie threw
back at her.

"What
sort of questions is he asking?"

Maggie
eyed her cynically and said "What other sort? Is she seeing
anyone? Did she used to date so and so? Those sorts of questions. Did
you guys talk about anything like that that night of the party?"
Alero shook her head in the negative her confusion mounting even as
she felt a thrill go through her body.

Okay.
So she was still as mind-bendingly attracted to the man as she had
once been to the boy. Still did not make sense why he was asking
after her.

"Ally?"
Maggie called out. "Did you hear me at all?"

"No.
What were you saying?"

"Do
you think that he might want to ask you out?" Maggie repeated
her question.

Alero
stared at her friend in confusion. "I have no idea." she
replied.

"Hmm!"
Maggie frowned in thought. Just as suddenly her expression cleared.
"Well, there's no need borrowing trouble. Let's see what is
happening. It might actually be nothing at all." she said her
voice getting more cheery as she went on.

"What
do you mean, borrowing trouble?' Alero asked.

"Ah!
Family issues. You know how these old moneyed people behave. They act
as if their children can't ever, fall
in love
and marry outside of their clique. You should hear some of the
remarks I have heard about Quinn. What
do his parents do dear? Oh! Where exactly do they live? We met some
really nice folks at the Polo club we stayed at when we last were
there!"
she mimicked the tones in which those questions had been asked. Alero
did not know whether to be amused or dismayed. She knew Maggie well
enough to know that she may have skin as tough as a rhino when it
came to herself but for her friends and loved ones, her skin was as
soft as a newborn baby. And she loved Quinn. Alero needed no further
convincing on that score.

"So
you think that should he be planning on asking me out, they
would have a collective heart attack?" Alero asked her nerves
thrumming with a tension that she did not want to examine too
closely.

Maggie
waved her hand dismissively. "Not all of them. But seeing as how
they've been the sweetheart couple for so long...like I said, we are
not even sure why he's asking those questions. It's just Olly thinks
he might be interested? Don't know why I pay him any mind!"

"You
can't honestly believe that your mother thinks that you and Quinn are
not shagging?" Alero asked a naughty note in her voice.

"Hiahn!
She doesn't know o! And we'd like to keep it that way please."
Maggie finished on a mischievous smile. "I can see ripe plantain
there in the store. Do you have the makings for egg sauce?"

Alero
shook her head in wry amusement as she set about making breakfast.
She figured she could as well make enough for everyone for when they
eventually woke up.

"You
don't get to stand there and order me about. Get your knife!"
she commanded to which Maggie responded with a cheeky salute and a
search for a suitably sharp knife among her mother's collection.

CHAPTER 8

It
was a dreary Monday morning and Alero was quite cross at the weather.
It had rained all weekend and had quite spoiled the plans she, Maggie
and Quinn had made. They had less than a week left in Nigeria and
Alero had wanted to treat them both to a fun weekend before they
left. Her father had laughingly said to her, 'It's the season. Let it
rain!' Alero still felt like sticking out her tongue at her father as
she remembered his hilarity at her angst.

"Good
morning." came the quiet greeting as Alero rushed into her
office. She was a bit late and had less than fifteen minutes to
prepare for a meeting. She turned to acknowledge the greeting in
passing but came to a skidding halt when she saw who was greeting.
Patricia Adeniran. It clicked in Alero's mind as she pasted a
welcoming smile on her lips. Yes, she was to resume today. She had
been marking the date for almost a month now, since her boss had told
her that he had decided to hire her. 'Imagine forgetting all about it
today.' Alero thought.

"Hey,
good morning." she greeted cheerily. "So how...you know
what? Let me catch up with this meeting. We'll talk when I get out."
She said as she rushed on into her office. Time always seemed to
speed along when you were short of it she noted. She had barely ten
minutes left to grab her things and join the meeting. She picked up
her notepad and grabbed a handful of pen and pencils that she kept
handy on her desk. She was contemplating the sense in taking her
digital notepad as well when Patricia walked in.